1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electromagnetic clutch for a compressor, and more particularly, to a method for manufacturing a connector of a field coil assembly provided in an electromagnetic clutch for a compressor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an electromagnetic clutch for a compressor is an electric device, wherein a magnetic field is formed by electromagnetic induction of a wound coil when power is supplied thereto and a resultant magnetic force causes a hub disc at a driving shaft of a compressor to be attracted toward a frictional surface of a pulley and to be dynamically connected thereto, whereby driving force of the pulley rotated by an engine is transferred to the hub disc of the driving shaft of the compressor.
That is, the electromagnetic clutch for a compressor serves to control the operation of a cooling system of an air conditioner by regulating power of the compressor according to whether or not power is applied to the coil.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a coil assembly of a conventional electromagnetic clutch for a compressor, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a major portion of a connector of the conventional electromagnetic clutch for a compressor.
According to the figures, the electromagnetic clutch for a compressor includes a pulley (not shown) connected to a crank shaft of an engine by means of a driving belt (not shown) and having a frictional surface at a side thereof.
Also, the electromagnetic clutch for a compressor is provided with a field coil assembly 1, so that it is contained in the pulley and supported by a housing (not shown) and also generates an attracting magnetic flux by applied power. The attracting magnetic flux generated by the field coil assembly 1 makes a disc (not shown) be coupled to the frictional surface of the pulley, thereby transferring the power of the engine to a driving shaft of the compressor.
An electromagnetic coil is wound in the shape of a ring inside of a body 2 that defines a framework of the field coil assembly 1. A protrusion 3 is provided at one side of the body 2, and a connector mount 5 is coupled to an upper surface of the protrusion 3. Terminal insertion grooves 7 are formed on the connector mount 5, and are portions into which terminals 15 of a connector 10, which will be described later, are inserted.
The connector 10 is coupled to the body 2. The connector 10 receives power from the outside and transfers it into the body 2 through the terminals 15, thereby causing the field coil assembly 1 to form a magnetic field.
An external appearance and framework of the connector 10 is defined by a housing 11. The housing 11 is made of an insulating material such as synthetic resin. A coupling portion 13 for coupling with a counterpart is formed at one side of the housing 11, and the terminals 15 to be coupled and electrically connected to the connector mount 5 is provided at the other side of the housing 11.
At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, electric parts such as a diode D and a resistor R are installed inside of the housing 11. The diode D and the resistor R form a surge absorbing circuit in the connector 10, and are electrically connected to the terminals 15.
A manufacturing process of the connector 10 will be described. First, the terminals 15 are injection molded such that the terminals 15 may be provided integrally with the housing 11. That is, the housing 11 is injection molded while the terminals 15 are inserted in a mold assembly, so that the housing 11 is manufactured as being fixed to the terminals 15.
In such a state, the diode D and the resistor R are inserted into the housing 11. At this time, the diode D and the resistor R are assembled to be connected to one ends of the terminals 15. Then, a thermosetting resin such as epoxy resin E is injected into the housing 11 to fix the diode D and the resistor R.
That is, after injection molding is conducted with the terminals 15 inserted into the housing 11, the diode D and the resistor R are assembled in the housing 11.
However, since an additional process for injecting the epoxy resin E is separately required in a process of assembling the diode D and the resistor R, there is a problem in that the number of processes and production costs for the connector 10 is increased.
In particular, if the diode D and the resistor R are fixed using the epoxy resin E, a time is required for solidifying the epoxy resin E, and thus, there is a problem in that the entire production time for the connector 10 is extended.
In addition, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 1998-318290 discloses that a surge absorbing device is accommodated in a connector of an electromagnetic clutch. However, before a connector of a power source is coupled to the connector of the clutch, the surge absorbing device or a coupling portion between the surge absorbing device and the terminals are exposed to the outside, which may cause a problem such as bad connection between the terminals and the surge absorbing device due to insertion of foreign substance.